中小城市人口集聚乏力的原因探析——以湖北荆门为例

Why Small and Medium-sized Cities Show Low Rate on Population Agglomeration: A Case Study in Jingmen City,Hubei province

人口规模反映了城市活力,城市人口集聚乏力往往意味着经济下行和吸引力衰退.我国中小城市的人口集聚能力普遍较弱.文章以湖北省荆门市为例,探究了导致人口集聚能力弱的内在原因,发现就业收入、公共服务、生活环境等方面的不足是关键因素.其中,就业数量、收入水平与公共服务一直是发展短板,而生活环境曾是优势所在,发展重工业却破坏了城市环境,又加剧了城市宜居性和人口吸引力的下降.目前,中小城市正面临着就近城市化、新兴产业发展以及流动人口回流等机遇,通过补齐短板、挖掘自身优势、满足居民需求,类似荆门市的中小城市仍有希望重获活力.

Population size could reflect the vitality of a city,and the low rate on population agglomeration always means economic recession,which should gain enough attention.Small and medium-sized cities are the main area for population outflow in city systems.Jingmen City,a typical small and medium-sized city,shared population decreasing in the last decade.By the questionnaire on the local residents,we analyzed the reasons leading to population decline in this city.We found low personal income and the lack of public service were main factors.Meanwhile,it is regrettable that living environment,used to be the advantage of Jingmen City,has become a shortage with the process of industrialization and resource development.Finally,we proposed the policy suggestions on the future development for such small and medium-sized cities.With effective measures on making up shortcomings,excavating advantage and improving living environment,mostly of these cities could have chance to regain vitality in population agglomeration and economic-social development.